Tobey Maguire Discusses Brothers and Spider-Man 4

11.29.09 by BJSprecher

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Actor Tobey Maguire recently told The Boston Globe that he hopes that his new movie, Brothers, will shed some light on one of the frequently overlooked problems facing veterans returning from combat: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the movie, Maguire plays Sam Cahill, a soldier who experiences the effects of PTSD after returning home from Afghanistan, where he had been held captive by the Taliban. To prepare for the role, Maguire spent a great deal of time doing research and meeting with soldiers who had suffered with PTSD.

People don't like to talk about it because it's like pulling back the curtain on another side of humanity. The people who've gone through these things, there's a different look in their eyes. They just know a different side of being a human. We can only imagine this stuff, but these people have been through terrible ordeals and have seen and lived through things that can change a person's worldview.

And our society isn't really dealing with it. Hopefully this movie can spark some conversation and people will start speaking the truth about this stuff.

As for the rumors that Maguire was reluctant to reprise the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in a fourth installment of the franchise, Maguire said that they're unfounded.

It's not that I was reluctant [to do Spider-Man 4]. For me, it's a big process to decide whether or not to do a role.... I have to want to wake up in the morning and feel like I can't wait to get to work. I've got to feel okay about leaving my kids for 12 or 13 hours a day for five months. It's a big commitment.

Maguire went on to say that he was enticed to return to the role by the opportunity to develop the character and stretch his own acting abilities.

Hopefully I'll be able to evolve the character in a new direction. He'll still be Peter Parker, but I hope I can move him forward a bit and take him to a place where there will be new challenges for me as an actor.